34 Free WordPress Theme Frameworks and Starter Themes (With A Comparison Chart)
WordPress offers a huge space for creativity and flexibility when designing and developing new websites.
Any type of website can be built on top of it: from blogs to newspapers, corporate websites to landing pages and even social networks. All you need is a theme coded to handle that functionality.
Yes, WordPress theme development. That is an easy process for experienced hands who knows the capabilities of the application and familiar with its functions and "not too hard" for others.
To simplify developing new themes, there are awesome WordPress theme frameworks and starter themes that you can use as a base for skipping the repetitive steps and begin with an optimized playground.
Here are the 34 free and good-quality ones that will save your time from searching them. And, in the bottom, you can find a comparison table for these WordPress theme frameworks.
Roots
The main power of this framework is its extremely clean WordPress code output, clean head and URLs (even for the head, CSS and JS paths).
Upon its activation, it automatically applies many useful customizations (like creating a homepage, defining the permalink structure, etc.).
Roots has 2 widget areas and it includes Blueprint CSS, 960.gs, the 1140px Grid, Adapt.js, Less Framework 4, Foundation by Zurb, and Bootstrap by Twitter.
Skeleton
It is a theme aimed at helping you build simple, uncluttered, useable, and mobile-friendly websites.
Skeleton has styling for typography and form elements + includes simple tabs and accordions.
The theme is based on and inspired from Skeleton Responsive Boilerplate, Theme Options Framework, Thematic Framework, Formalize and TwentyTen Theme.
P.S. There are also optional styles for bbPress and Jigoshop.
Bones
Bones is a theme following the mobile first approach that has a detailed + organized CSS, in-depth documentation with tutorials and details on every level.
There are 3 versions:
- classic
- responsive
- HTML version for projects
Many useful features exist including page navi, breadcrumbs, related posts and HTML5 video with fallback.
It is based on 960.gs, 320 and Up Extension, HTML5 Boilerplate.
Gantry
Gantry has a detailed admin interface with 65 base widget positions and 38 layout combinations that provide a huge space for customization.
There are lots of built-in features including the CSS and JS compression, speed-optimized codebase, several widgets and gizmos such as font-sizer, Google Analytics, to-top smooth slider, IE6 warning message, etc.
Starkers
Starkers is a completely naked WordPress theme built to be a starting point for theme designers.
It’s a stripped-back version of the ‘Twenty Ten’ theme that is bundled with each WordPress download.
The theme is based on YUI Reset and it is totally unstyled.
Wonderflux
Wonderflux is a solid, easy to update and flexible platform you can use for any WordPress project.
It has location-aware template parts that allow you to concentrate on the content, not the code.
The framework comes with a fully dynamic CSS grid system, simple administration controls and over 100 display hooks.
Reverie
Reverie is a HTML5 WordPress framework based on ZURB's Foundation and HTML5 Boilerplate.
It can almost be used out-of-the-box. There are 2 widget areas; sidebar and footer and 2 menus (top navigation menu and footer information menu). Also works with bbPress 2.0.
Thematic
Thematic is a good option for using as-is or as a blank WordPress theme for development.
There are built-in with styles for popular plugins and many theme filters + hooks are available.
The theme has 13 widget areas + multiple layout options and it is strongly advised to use a child theme for customization.
Whiteboard
Whiteboard focuses on simplicity and includes only the core WP functionality.
it supports WordPress features such as manageable menus, background, and header image besides featured images, several widget areas, and more.
The framework uses LESS for mobile support and responsive outputs. The code is lightweight + well-commented and there is support for child themes.
Presswork
The big thing that separates this PressWork from others is its unique front-end editor.
Google fonts selector is integrated to this front-end editor to easily select your fonts. A PSD file is included to customize the design and it has 2 widget + 2 menu areas.
Constellation Theme
The Constellation theme is a great base for any WordPress-powered website.
It has the styles for creating responsive pages, has a HTML5 code and comes with a flexible grid system.
The theme is based on the HTML5 Boilerplate.
TwentyTen Five
This theme is an HTML5-powered version of the default WordPress TwentyTen theme.
It is cleanly coded, using the theme and integrating new features on it is pretty easy.
Elastic
There are several important stuff behind Elastic: a visual theme editor, a theme engine, and a set of protocols that link these two.
It aims to bring a new approach to editing and creating themes which both developers and end-users will find easy to work with.
Flexible
Flexible is a carefully-coded child theme of the default Twenty Ten theme and built-with any browser size in mind.
It has a Facebook FanGate integration and packed with Themekit (which is a plugin for plain simple customization via WordPress editor).
WP Paintbrush
WP Paintbrush comes with a built in front-end editor that enables anyone willing to quickly create a unique design for their website.
The editor has a drag 'n' drop interface for placing theme sections, comes with fixed or fluid layouts and much more.
Html5 Shell
mimoYmima has implemented an improved body tag that includes many valuable information about the page loaded.
There are smart sidebar disabling methods which could come handy, several @font-face examples and dynamic sidebar + custom template examples packaged with the framework
The code is commented clearly for easing the production process and it uses Modernizr + HTML5 reset css
Gantry is based on 960.gs.
Hybrid
This framework has many custom widget areas, widgets, hooks, shortcodes, page templates and many options to easily customize your website.
It is being improved continuously and has a community growing around it.
HTML5 Reset
This blank theme focuses on making a solid HTML5 compatible starting point for WordPress theme development.
It also has some additional features such as built-in analytics and starter CSS declarations for basic WP elements.
HTML5 Reset is based on digwp.com's Blank WordPress Theme, Modernizr and HTML5 Reset.
The Buffet
The framework has many SEO features including breadcrumbs and jQuery improvements such as comments form validation, SuperSleight for IE6, superfish menus or jBreadcrumb.
It is also compatible with many plugins and fully localized, ready for translation.
The theme includes 960.gs and Blueprint CSS.
Simon
This framework includes useful options such as free icons, typography, breadcrumbs and form designs.
There are also multiple post formats to ease theme customizations.
It has support for widgets, child themes and comes with a clean code.
Handcrafted WP
This one may not count as a framework, but it is an almost-naked starter theme with many useful features such as cleaner head code, integrated analytics, support for menus, post formats and custom post types.
The theme also has a widget-ready sidebar and dashboard.
Handcrafted WP is based on Toolbox Starter theme and HTML5 Boilerplate.
ToolBox
If you want to make your own theme and want it to be ready for HTML5, ToolBox may satisfy your needs.
It is a blank theme in plain and semantic HTML5 markup with almost no CSS.
Thematic-html5boilerplate
This is a WordPress theme using HTML5 Boilerplate and based on Thematic ToolBox (and other Thematic themes).
H5 Theme Template
H5 includes a full pack of theme files and folders with each file having all the latest WordPress functionality.
It is built with easy customization and personalization in mind and serves as a solid starting point for your next HTML-5-based theme.
Brave New World
This theme has no layout and styling except the modified version of Eric Meyer’s reset CSS and a baseline typography.
Although it is such a plain theme, it is built with HTML5, WAI-ARIA in mind and supports hCard + hAtom microformats.
1140 Fluid Starkers
This theme is the combination of Starkers + the 1140 CSS Grid and great for anyone looking for a responsive naked theme.
Indeziner
Indeziner is a starting point for creating websites using WordPress with no hassle.
It has a fully customizable homepage, almost every section can be enabled/disabled and bundled with a slideshow, gallery page and Flickr integration.
Blank Themes
Blank Themes offer 1, 2, 3 column blank themes to start from with the variations of sidebar locations.
There is also a blank portfolio theme that can be easily customized and used for your own portfolio.
rtPanel
rtPanel has a developer centric framework which is useful for developers willing to tweak codes with hooks and functions.
The framework also provides control over content and design for anyone who is not so familiar with coding and web-development.
Sandbox
Sandbox and various other themes from plaintxt.org provide a strong and clean structure with rich semantic classes powered by dynamic functions and microformats.
The themes are minimal and can be good starting points for new themes.
Suffusion
Suffusion is a cross-browser theme with a bunch of options.
It has 19 widget areas, one/two/three column, fixed-width and flexible-width formats, 10 pre-defined templates, 18 pre-defined color schemes, 2 customizable multi-level drop-down menus, featured posts, a magazine layout, tabbed sidebars, widgets for Twitter, social networks, Google Translate and more.
Foundation
Foundation is a blank starter theme that has all the core features needed to creating a new theme.
It is a nice kit for developing responsive websites, uses Orbit as a content slider and based on ZURB's Foundation Framework + HTML5 Boilerplate.
StartBox
StartBox is a theme framework that makes rapid web development and WP theme creation simple for both designers and developers.
It comes pre-loaded with customizable theme options, several widget-ready areas and custom widgets, 6 pre-defined layouts and a comprehensive documentation.
Yoko
Yoko is a modern three-column blog theme and it comes with a custom social links widget and shortcodes for text columns, info boxes and highlighted text.
It also provides various post formats and uses Google Web Fonts.
Comparison Of WordPress Theme Frameworks
| Themes | Capabilities | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HTML5 | Responsive | Mobile | SEO | Admin Int. | Micro formats | IE Hacks | Basic Styles | |
| Roots |  |
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| Skeleton | |
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| Bones | |
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| Gantry | |
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| Starkers | |
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| Wonderflux | |
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| Reverie | |
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| Thematic | |
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| Whiteboard | |
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| Presswork | |
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| Constellation Theme | |
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| TwentyTen.. | |
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| Elastic | |
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| Flexible | |
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| WP Paintbrush | |
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| Html5 Shell | |
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| Hybrid | |
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| HTML5 Reset | |
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| The Buffet | |
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| Simon | |
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| Handcrafted | |
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| ToolBox | |
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| Thematic-html5boil. | |
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| H5 Theme Template | |
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| Brave New World | |
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| 1140 Fluid Starkers | |
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| Indeziner | |
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| Blank Themes | |
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| rtPanel | |
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| Sandbox | |
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| Suffusion | |
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| Foundation | |
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| StartBox | |
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| Yoko | |
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- Tags:
Wordpress
- Filed under: Goodies, Other License, Templates
- 30 Comments
30 Responses for "34 Free WordPress Theme Frameworks and Starter Themes (With A Comparison Chart)"
I used Foundation by Drew Morris. Easy to use, easy to configure; needs a nice documentation though.
Will try roots and reverie themes, later.
Nice comparison chart, Devrim! Keep up the good work.
Ok, but which one would you recommend ?
1) you forget to loist wehther the themes offer localization, support language files
this is important!!!
2) Suffusion is one of the mightiest themes / frameworks I ever met and worked with…
Awesome article
Thumbs up!
Hangisini onerirsin Devrim. It seems Reverie the one covers most of these features
Suffusion does have an admin interface (I am assuming that is what “Admin Int.” is) which is probably the most extensive and powerful amongst all free themes and more powerful than several commercial theme – yet you have listed it as NOT having one? It also has inbuilt SEO options amongst other things.
@Sayontan,
Just updated the details about Suffusion accordingly.
Thanks so much for that.
Roots is a great theme to develop on
Thanx for share
Recommendation is actually very hard, because every designer / developer has different ways of solving issues and walking the path.
If anyone wants a front-end editor; there is “presswork”, “elastic”, “wp paintbrush”. If you hate bloated theme options and front-end customizations you should probably avoid them.
“roots” has an interesting approach which is very useful if don’t want your visitor or customers to know that you are using wordpress for them, it cleans the code accordingly.
Therefore I tried to give as much information as I can to let people decide for themselves.
I, myself, don’t like theme options and detailed admin pages or front-end editors for starters. If you are going to code the theme yourself and you need mature, clean, stable and modern starter / framework which is covering your back, so that you don’t think about the basics over-and-over again, there is “skeleton”, “roots”, “reverie”, and “bones”.
I recently created a theme using “skeleton” for a friend, and it was a breeze.
Awesome article
+1
The same article with Joomla can be wonderfull
Thanks for this article
Hello Devrim.
Nice compilation and comaprison of WordPress Theme frameworks, I must say. Kudos.
Thank you for considering rtPanel in your post.
I represent rtPanel Theme framework as a lead developer. I would like to put forward my stand for SEO capabilty of the rtPanel.
rtPanel is nicely integrated with “WordPress SEO by Yoast” plugin (http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/wordpress-seo/). We do not want to lock-in any user in our theme framework. So we deliberately avoid running into plugin territory. Yoast plugin being a matured plugin fulfills the SEO requirement of rtPanel.
We are constantly enhancing the functionality of rtPanel to make it a robust WordPress theme framework.
I have tried all of the starter themes & frameworks listed above, and in the end I settled on Gantry. I have to say that, Gantry is a theme framework, so, supporting HTML5 or Microformats depends on the theme that is using Gantry, not Gantry itself.
BTW, one of my favorite themes is missing here! ATOM theme by digitalnature.eu which later on changed to Bootstrap: http://digitalnature.eu/themes/bootstrap/. It is packed with features to make themeing easier and more powerful.
Hello
Thank you for sharing the beautiful themes
Really much appreciated.
Warm greeting from Indonesia.
I tried Reverie a few months ago, but found it wasn’t quite ready. I’m using Foundation from Drew Morris for a couple of projects. It’s been interesting learning how to use a responsive theme.
woww.. thats nice
i want to download “Bones”. Thank you for sharing these.. 
Hi, nice template collection..btw i’am in search of template for perfume kinda things, any helps on where can i find the good ones? any helps would be appreciated, thanks
Your comparison chart is very helpful. Thanks.
This is one of the best researched article I’ve found for the starter kits. Thanks Devrim. But now I’m really confused on what to use.
Great article. Great list indeed.
The same article with Joomla will be really hepful.
This comparison table is EXACTLY what I needed.
I get so tired of all these lazy-ass “Here’s a list of a bajillion theme options” that just copy and paste the description from the theme’s homepage without providing any sort of real input on how they compare/contrast.
Tip’o'the hat to ya’.
Wow, what an effort! Thumbs up for the comparison chart.
Very helpful article also. Thanks!
Hey Devrim,
Amazing article – I was hoping I can get some help here – can you tell me if “constellation” theme is any good – I’m building a site that requires custom postypes/metaboxes/ wpml and bbpress – roots and Reverie looks really good – but I want to keep it simple and as close to wordpress as possible. Please advise.
Thank you,
Ali
Excellent post and chart! However I do believe ‘roots’ IS responsive, in contrast to the comparison chart, unless i’m missing the definition of responsive … changes format based on window dimensions as seen in their demo http://demo.rootstheme.com/ … ?
Excellent article, thanks a lot! I’ve found a starter theme called underscore, did you try it?
You rockz man.Expecially thank for that last comparison table.:)
Best List!!
Is there any reason why Responsive (http://wordpress.org/extend/themes/responsive) is not included on this review? Any comments on it?
Love skeleton, cool base theme for who love HTML5.
It help me build website with HTML5 quickly
Excellent list. I prefer woothemes though.
But still I have a doubt that whether I should stick to blogger or jump to Workpress. This article got me into more of my doubting myself.